HIDDEN LANGUAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2456, 20 July 1922, Page 4

HIDDEN LANGUAGE.

Not everyone has- had the “advantages” of a classical education, and it is therefore somewhat annoying when phrases are used .in which dead Latm. is preferred to live English. The other day it was announced that a certain court would sit “de die’in diem.” Why not “From day to day.” And why should it be “in forma pauperis” instead of the more intelligible “as a poor man” ? “Inter alia” is always being brought into sevice, when surely “among other things”, would be plainer to plain folk? Book readers must often have wondered what exactly “lb” meant in a footnote or reference. It is an abbreviation of “Ibidem” meaning “at the same place.” A certain statesman was referred to the other day as “Facile princeps.” Why not “Easily the first,” in plain English? “Sub judice” is another phrase which does much service. Why not “under consideration” ? A seed catalogue declares that a certain plant is “sui generis.” Why not plainly say “in a class by itself” ? “Sangfroid” has become understandable, but why not use the: English equivalent of “coolness” ? And why “faux pas” ? All of us use “au fait” with dead languages. And why “au fait”? .French that, but what’s the matter with: the English'—“except” —which everybody, understands ?